Indicator and dial for watches and like articles



INDlCATOR AND DIAL' FOR WATCHES AND LIKE. ARTICLES. APPLICATION mm JULY 2,1921.

1,41 3,971 Patented Apr. 25, 1922. w m 2 E91. F 94.

-F /-G J .15

INVENTOR from the following specification.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN r. CuNTz, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, .ASSIGNOR To AMERICAN RADIUM COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or New YORK.

INDICATOR AND DIAL vF013. WATCHES AND LIKE ARTICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A1313 1922 Applioationfiled July 2, 1921. serial No. 482,095.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERMANN F. CUNTZ, a citizen of the United States, resident of the city of Hartford, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, and whose post-office address is 7 East 42nd Streetfloorough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicators and Dials for Watches and like Articles, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, illustrative of particular embodiments of my invention.

This invention relates to indicators such as the hands of clocks, watches, gauges, meters, and other devices, and also the dials for suchdevices and instruments, and par.- ticularly the graduations on such dials, and for like or similar idevicespasmay appear Particularly in such indicators and dials the invention relates to providing them in a form or construction permitting advantageous equipment with luminous material, so that the indicators or hands, or the gra-duations may be readily visible and readable at night, and at the same time affording accurate and easy reading of the graduations or readily discerning of'the'indicator or indicators and their position with respect to graduations by outside light such as by daylight or when visible by ordinary illumination.

The application ofluminous material involving compounds of radio-active and radio-responsive material, has heretofore been practised by embodying such permanently luminous compounds in a recess in the hands of instruments and particularly in watch and clock hands so that a sufficient bulk of the material is held spread over a sufficient area to provide an amount of luminosity to an extent and for a suii'r cient distance suitable for the particular instruments or case involved; Or in some cases the permanently self-luminous compound is spread over the surface of a hand or on a dial with suitable protective covering to keep it in place. A reasonable area is required with a considerable width with respect to the length in a line, intended to be luminous in the dark, sufficient to provide visible luminosity at a distance of a foot orvseveral feet or yards-depending upon the particu lar use to which the permanently illuminated article is adapted. In view of the relatively larger width of linerequired for this darktime luminous effect, the indicator, hand, or pointer, or the graduation so equipped, is of a greater width than permits accurate reading in'the daytime or un- V der conditions of ordinary outside illumi-v nation. It, therefore, becomes a problem to provide such devices with permanently luminous material in a manner whereby accurate reading of the time or accurate reading of instruments, as to the registration of pointers with graduations can be assured or in any event can become a matter of greater accuracy thanhas heretofore been the case by day and night. I i

In the case of pointers for indicators and hands for watches',a broad surface covered with radio-luminous material, backed up by a relatively dark background .involv'es all inaccuracy incident to a broad line compared with a very fine hair line or narrow marker which should be used in ordinaryor full, illumination for accurate determination of calibration registration. I, therefore, provide a pointer or hand. with surface of a relatively sufficient width to carry an ample area of radio-luminousmaterial for the desired degree of visibility in the darkness, but I vprovide centrally or in the axis of suchla pointer or hand, a narrow contrasting line of non-luminous material and'of contrasting color with the luminous material in the-daytime or when subject to outside illumination. Such central line of non-luminous material provides for accurate reading in the daytime and the provision of such a line whether on the pointer,

calibration, marking or numerals, supple--- or in a graduation, or otherwise, involves modification of structures heretofore used which may be provided in HHUIGI'OIIS ways but require structural changes in such parts not heretofore known and oi which particular embodiments I have herewith illustrated and will now describe in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of a pointer or hand with the daytime reading line in arrow-head at the tip andv centrally throughout the main body of the pointer.

Figure 2 is a plan View ot a modilied. pointer with the daytime reading line at the outer half away from the hub, ter1ninating at the tip.

Figure 3 is a plan View of a modified pointer with the daytime reading mark full length in medial position but terminating short of the tip for structural reasons icreinafter set forth.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a pointer with the daylight reading mark modified by extending the full length and terminating at the tip.

Figure is a cross-motion oi a pointer such as taken on the line of F ig. 1

F igure 6 is a cross-section of a pointer showing a modified form of attachment for the medial daytime reading line.

Figure 7 is a cross-section of pointer with a modified form of aiwangement and connection between the base and the daytime reading line.

Figure 8 is a plan view ot' a pointer or ha: l with modified outline and constructed to hold radio-luminous material. on a portion ot its length with the other non-luminous portion structurally (so-operating tor advantages in manufacture, durability. strength or otherwise.

Figure 9 is a side elevation oi the pointer or hand shown in Fig. 8.

F igure 10 is a plan View of: a fragmentary portion of a dial showing a figure with cla time reading. medial marl; within the field of the self-luminous figure area.

Figure 1]. is a cross-section on the line 11--ll of Fig. 1.0 on a much enlarged s-z ale.

The pointer or hand A, as tor example in Figs. 1 and 5 comprises a strip of Very thin material and which is usually metal and preferably steel. which is formed with the usual hub to and terminates at the rniposite end with its sides converging to a point a.

As shown in these fi ures the middle oi the strip is crimped to form a ridge B, and the converging; edges near the tip are turned up to form lateral. converging ridges C. These ridges B and (l, and particularly the former, give a horizontal stillness so that the strip of which the hand or pointer is made may be of thinner material than usual, with the ridge B forming a strengthening, medial flange or web. However, the height of this central rib is such as to provide be tween it and the border or sidcs oi, the strip a recess which provides for the in'iheddin 'r ot a layer of rzulio-hnninous material on either side ot the central rib and cxtendiiur to the edge or as 11?;11' the edge oi the strip as desired.

The central rib permits the imbeddingr of the radio-luminous material D in a manner that affords sufiieient contact ot the material and a vehicle or c ainc' which holds the radio-luminous material to the pointer, but also permits uniform and ready applicatimi on either side of the middle ridge, whereby the ridge is left clear and clean ot luminous material and being ol :1 contrastiire color. such as blued or otherwise treated steel. it constitutes a uniform dark medial line as viewed in the day time compared with the lateral areas oi": light-colored radioduminous compounds. Rzulioduminous compound area an extend directly to the point within the converging; ridges (l--(" whereby a pointed luminous area affords the desired Visibility in the dark, while the ridges C-C protect the tip and keep the radio-inniinous material more permanently in position tor a long); period of years resisting the jar ring or vibration or other effects incident to the usual usage of the pointer or hand. B providing;' the area in arrowbad shape. shown in Fig. 1, withoutthe cen' al parting tor a shoi distance from the tip the most import; it portion, namely. the end of the radio-innunous ha is also better ln'otected to resist dislodging of the radiodumnious material due to any variation in temperature or in contracting oil the material. Throughout the remaining length oi the hand, the lateral radio huninons material areas may he divided into sections so as. to better resist loo ening due to contraction oi the radio" luin ions material and the vehicle used to secure it to the aurtace and to the lateral walls r the ridge.

' In the form shown in Fig.

2 the medial line 1*) comprising: the crimp as shown in FIQ. 5 is run to the tip a so that a line hne which may approach the dinieusii'ms oi? a hair line will provide acct rate reading out to the very tip during the daytime or with out illumination: and terinihating the rh part way between the tip and the hub (6 makes it possible to eliiciently and uniformly apply the radio-inrninous n'mterial on the outer portion ol' the hand or pointer. .l'or the desired length oli selt-luminous area, and t' omit it from the portion near the hub in order to save the expense of radio-active material. i

In. the form shown in F .igure 3 the ridge F provides stiffening; from the hub througrhout the entire length to near the tip so that the thinnest practicable material may he used for the base of the hand because such ridge provides stiffening throughout the l l i) length; while the termination of the ridge a little short of the tip a affords means for a small tip area of luminous compound to be lodged from side to side of the tip with the end of the crimp providing the shoulder or wall to aid in holding the material which the manufacture after depositing the material for the self luminosity, the artisan can readily manipulate a tool across the ridge in order to clear the'surface of the ridge Gr leaving it of the contrasting color, and in so doing it assures the uniform thickness of material for lum'inizing in the dark the entire length of; the hand.

Tllhe construction shown in Figurefi 'involves the base J of the hand or pointer w1th.

, a 'fc'entral slot into which a bent strip K is or to such extent as preaching the outer forced with oppositely extending lips or flanges, which has at its outeredge the narrow surface H which may bebent or formed asrounded or flattened to provide the necessarybreadth or width'of the line which is to form the daylight reading mark of the hand. In this form the walls of the ridge member K .maybe so formed as to be reentrant to give an added value in the holding of the laterally disposed radio-luminous material.

In Figure 7 themodificationinthe cross section involves the baseL on one side of which-a small wire M s laid and secured 'ehy' forming aridge to' provide the medial day reading line and to laterally provide forholding the radio-luminous mate rial. Q a In Figures 8 and 5) a form of hand or pointer is structurally modified to the extentthat the material at the hub a is compressed. to form a channel for part of the lengthadjacent to the hub with the top side N and with the lateral flanges N. A pend of the hand, the strip is depressed, or conversely the ridge 0 is crimped or pressed up to the level. of the surface N, forming a medial ridge preterably in the center or axis, out to the tip a,

may be desired for any particular case with reference to the arrangements shown in the tip structures in the: first tour figures, or otherwise. Thus, the half of this modified form of hand nearer theouterendhas on its, outer side recesses such as Q of a sufiicient area to accommodate an amount 0')": radio-luminous material suflicient to assure ample visibility in the dark. The ridge 0 extends the stiffness of the portion N to N to the very tip or as far as may be desired, and while providing recesses on' either side of the medial ridge to accommodate the radio-luminous material in a man ner that does not increase'the thickness of the hand beyond the thickness of the portion near the hub. It'will thus be seen that the constructions described provide a ridgeor ridges intermediate the side edges of'a hand or pointer,

which aid to secure, and which can serve to assure uniform thickness of theradio-luminous material applied to the surface oi the base. Furthermore, the ridge of rigid material forms the upper limit of the hand structure with the base at the bottom, so that both top and bottom are protected during the operation of the hands or pointers against interfering objects which might otherwise dislodge the radio-luminous material in the absence of the protecting ridge.

The structure also serves to accommodate most advantageously the applicationo'tradie-luminous material in different ways, as for example the principal ingredient, name ly, the radio responsive material may be very quickly applied to hands of: my eon{ struction, because the ridge in its various arrangements serves to control the thickness and assure the eihciency of the apphcation of material either in base or otherform witl'i entire uniformity throughout the length of the hand which it is desired to cover; ther-atter the radio-active material o't'itar lesser relative quantity may be readily dusted onto the surface or sprinkled on to the 'radio-responsive or sulrcompound, as it is sometimes called. And. in any finishing operatlons the manipulation of the tools W1ll be subject to the control of the ridgein conpinetion with the lateral borders of the hands, whereby uniformity of finish with economy in the operation is a result oif great advantage from a manufacturing or studio work standpoint.

In the embodiment of the medial or daylight reading line in figures, a ridge such as B, H or M may be laid on the surfaceot a dial or any other base where a figure or luminized device is arranged, and the recess or crevice at each side of the rid e, ta ierinc down to the surface of the dial or other l. se. can with easy manipulationbe filled, with the assiu'ance o t" uniformity as to the maximum thickness of the radio-luminous compound, and at the same time leaving the central line ot contrasting color which therefore can be read easily in the daytime and which has the effect of a neat, fine figure which can be made in conformity with the usual dimensions of daylightwisihle figures on watch dials in stead of a broad expanse of block letter.

When a depre ed number or figure of radioluminous material is desired the dial or base as in l igures 10 and 11 is cut out to form as there shown, for example, a figure 3 with the recess T as shown in the section. In the middle of this recess a ridge or small rigid wall or flange V is embedded, the outer edge of which constitutes the fine and even hair line figure serving for daylight readin On either side of this central ridge V the radioluminous material. is applied in the cavity T constituting the area U with a sufiicient eX pause of surface and a su'fiicient bulk of ma tcrial in the cavity to provide the most advantageous application of radio-luminous compounds. In either means of applying the nightreading material to numbers or any other figures on dials or the like the central ridge not alone provides the means of producing a figure with narrow lines for daylight visibility but serves to give uniformity in limiting the depth, or the surface, of the adjacent selfdnminous material; and in any way it may be applied, the best or other means of application is facilitated, as well as the method of embedding or applying the sub-compound, involving the radio-responsive material, and thereafter sprinkling or dusting thereon a relatively small amount of very fine radio-active material onto the surface.

It will. also be realized that a narrow line provided in the structure of hands or dials as heretofore described, as well as many modifications thereof, supplies a daytime visibility of a fine hair line which may be so narrow that it will in no way interfere with the luminosity in darkness of the adjacent radio-lominous areas. The light emission from radio-luminous areas is such. that with. a total area, and with a width of luminous line in proportion to its length, su'l'licient for the desired legil'iility in the dark for a watch or clock or any other particular use, means that such light emission will have substantially the value of the entire area of the hand or figure, and for night observation the narrow uncoated central ridge will not appear, i. c.. it will practically be bridged by the light OIlllSSlOll from the adjacentlulllll'lOllS areas.

Conversely, hands or figures constructed and formed as heretofore described may be of white or light tints matching the adje,

cent enamel color of a dial underlying the hand, in which cases *atches or clocks with their reading parts so constructed will have in daytime a substantially invisible breadth of hand, but a narrow clearly visible line, even a hair line, will constitute the centrah indicating or reading marking for the hand and for the dial marking or figure with just as great accuracy for daylight use as any ordinary watch, clock or other indicating device,a.nd with no apparent increased breadth in the markings or hands during daytime reading.

The revolutionary development involved in the introduction of readable-in-the-dark watches, clocks, compasses and other inclicating instruments and devices, is wellknown to have involved at first the serious objection of making very broad hands and either large dots for graduations or broad figures in order to provide a suflicient area so that the permanent self-luminosity or radioluminous materials would. serve the night reading object. The clumsiness of such structures impeded for years the more general adoption of the day and night read1ngparts of timepieces and other instruments, and the necessity for providing means so that the same night visible instruments would be equally readable by day, led to the provision of a border, or more properly two borders, one on either side of the self-luminous area. Such borders on broad hands were an initial objection. criticized as clumsiness, which the general usefulness of the self-luminous markings has but partially overcome. Initial attempts in the case of some instruments led to the use of a contrasting background, so that the white hand was bordered by a dark background but this only made day reading relatively visible but still involved the broad and inaccurate mark which is white for day reading and has the same objections for many classes of timepieces as well as other devices. Added to the solution of the problem of producing reading parts of timepieces or other devices which can be accurately read in the daytime, it will be seen that the structures heretofore described have many added advantages, such. as assuring uniformity in the amount or depth of the coating of radio-huninous material, and stiffening the pointers and permitting the use of the thinnest obtainable sheet material for the base of hands or pointers in order to reduce the total thickness of the hands as well as to provide uniformity throughout the length of area of the luminous surfaces. Othe advantages will be appreciated in the practice of this invention, facilitates for manufacture, as well as economies and speed of production with uniformity of product, add to the value of durability and other characteristics of the finished product.

lVhile various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement as well as the material and use of the articles, of which specific embodiments have been heretofore described. I do not confine my invention to the specific forms shown in the accompanying drawing and herein specified in detail but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. A hand for watches and other indicators comprising a longitudinal extending area of radio-luminous material and a cenmanently tral non-luminous longitudinal line of contrasting color when viewed with outside illumination.

'2. An indicator or pointer for timepieces or like articles comprising a long, narrow strip coated from side to side with perself-luminous material and a single medial line of contrasting surface visible in the daytime.

3. A pointer or hand for timepieces and the like comprising a surface coating of radio-luminous material and an area providing Visibility in the dark from the outer end and substantiall extending toward the hub, of a single line 'ormed of non-luminous material having a contrasting surface extending medially through said luminous area.

4. An article of the character described comprising a thin base strip of metal of a single medial ridge extending the major length of the axis.

5. An article of the character described comprising a thin, flat base, a single central rib formed on said base centrally from a point near the tip and extending intermediate the sides of the strip towards the center of the hub.

crimp formed in the middle on a line radial to the center of the hub.

8. An article of the character described comprising a base of thin sheet material, a

medial ridge of similar material projecting from the top slde, radio-luminous material imbedded on either side of said ridge between the walls of the ridge and a lateral border of the base. i

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 1st day of July, 1921.

HERMANN F. CUNTZ.

Witnesses:

Bonner B. MGCAGUE, H. MUGHMORE. 

